Third Party Quotes on the Liberal Plan for the Environment and the Economy /
Citations de tiers au sujet du Plan libéral sur l'environnement et l'économie

Toronto Star editorial
“Although Dion will undoubtedly want to keep some details close to his vest until an election campaign is underway, he promised to soon release his plan for this green shift in the economy in which no one is left behind. Then Canadians will be in a position to judge whether he can deliver the richer, greener, fairer society he outlined yesterday.

But even with so little detail, it seems clear that he aims to accomplish a lot more than Prime Minister Stephen Harper has done with his wasteful $12 billion cut in the goods and services tax.”

(Toronto Star, May 16th, 2008)

Montreal Gazette editorial
“Liberal leader Stéphane Dion has spoken up in favour of a revenue-neutral carbon tax. This is the best thing he has done in months.”

(Montreal Gazette, May 19th 2008)

Brandon Sun editorial
“The time is right for a bold step in a new direction for Dion, the Liberal Party and perhaps the country as a whole. A carbon-tax plan sure is risky, but it could yield a big reward.”

(Brandon Sun, May 18th 2008)

Rex Murphy, Commentator, CBC National
“Mr. Dion is at the very least willing to back up his expressed concern with an idea or measure aimed directly at a central aspect of the problem. Let's give him marks for that... Finally, I think he has an honest logic on his side too. If Canadians, as we are repeatedly assured, respect the planet, are concerned about their global warming ways, then at least Mr. Dion is consistent in asking Canadians to back up their warm sentiments with an actual cost, to say to Canadians: "If you really want to slow global warming, you must pay something to do it." For all those who predictably say a carbon tax is an election killer, Mr. Dion, with some principle and consistency, is throwing out a real challenge to the voters and the other political parties. He's also giving a signal that, as was assumed when he was elected leader, he is willing to do politics differently. So if Mr. Dion does back a carbon tax, I'll give him high marks for courage and consistency... In any case, he's showing more real brass than anybody else right now, and for that lonely and singular virtue, he deserves some credit.”

(CBC, The National, May 15, 2008)

David Suzuki, environmentalist
"I'm really shocked with the NDP with this. I thought that they had a very progressive environmental outlook...

There’s just no question this is the way to go. It’s revenue neutral. It’s not a tax grab. Governments can use some of the revenue they get now to spend on the things that are going to help poorer people in terms of rapid transit, and there’s got to be some kind of tax rebate for people who are lower-income, but to oppose this simply because – I don’t know whether it’s ideological or what – its just nonsense. This is something that has got to come.”

Chantal Hebert, columnist
“A carbon tax is a good fit for a leader who rose to the top on an environment ticket...

British Columbia and Quebec, two provinces where the Liberals need to make gains to win the election, are pioneering different versions of a carbon tax to relatively favourable reviews.

There is plenty of expert support for the idea and not only among environmentalists. A number of economists agree that a carbon tax could be beneficial and not only for reasons related to greenhouse gas emissions.

Even if climate change had not emerged as a global threat to the environment, rising worldwide demand would make a shift in Canada's energy culture a necessity.

Any mature economy that gambles its standard of living on an addiction to fossil fuels is ultimately bound for darker days.

On that basis, punishing detrimental behaviour with a carbon tax while using the proceeds to reward good practices makes economic and environmental sense.”

(Kelowna Daily Courier, May 8, 2008)

Michael Den Tandt, columnist
“Here's the bottom line on a national carbon tax: It is inevitable. Setting a price on carbon is the only fair, effective and comprehensive way to bring about broad-based change in how consumers and businesses use energy...

The net result would be a strong incentive to reduce conventional energy use, combined with greater incentive to earn money - because businesses and individuals keep more of what they earn. Best of all, an individual's taxes would drop steadily as his or her energy use decreased. Sell your SUV in favour of public transit and a bicycle, and you get an instant, big tax cut. Keep your SUV, but drive it less? You still get a tax cut, albeit smaller.”

The federal Conservatives are waiting to pounce on Dion, sending out the message that if he's elected, gas prices will jump by 50 cents a litre. In fact, Dion is planning to offset the tax with $10 billion in income tax cuts and policies that would reduce the economic impact on low-income and rural Canadians.

At least Dion is trying to forge some sort of environmental policy platform. The Conservatives, on the other hand, appear to have abandoned the environmental cause.”

(Kingston Whig-Standard, May 13, 2008)

Globe and Mail editorial
“Clearly, carbon taxes are very complicated. Stéphane Dion, the Liberal Leader, is brave to consider such a plan, although he may be foolhardy to run in a future election on a proposal that opponents could so easily distort. The Liberals should rigorously examine any new carbon-tax proposals to ensure that they protect the most vulnerable at home, and to take into account the competition abroad. After all, carbon taxes ought to reduce global emissions, not shift the problem elsewhere.”
(Globe and Mail, May 9th, 2008)

Montreal Gazette editorial
“The key benefit of a carbon tax is that its proceeds can be returned to the public. There is probably no better way of lining up public support than legislating tax cuts. And with the public onside, a government can work miracles - something the world seems to need.”

(Montreal Gazette, April 7th, 2008)

Andrew Coyne, columnist
“That's if the press can be induced to get off their duffs and examine it as policy, rather than indulging in the usual idle speculation on how it will play politically...

Leave aside evidence that the policy in fact enjoys considerable popular support — 61 per cent in a recent poll — or the apparent political success the British Columbia government has enjoyed with a similar plan. You'd never know it from the above commentary, but the Liberal proposal involves, not just a broadening of the current 10 cents a litre fuel tax to embrace other sources of carbon emissions, but offsetting — and potentially spectacular — cuts in income taxes. Either would be good policy on its own, but together they make not only good policy, but, I venture to say, good politics. The same cynics would have said free trade was political suicide — many did. But it just may be that the public are not such dolts as made out, and that treated like adults, they may respond in kind.”

(Maclean’s Magazine, May 14th 2008)

Toronto Star editorial
"If Canadians are truly committed to doing their part to fight climate change, they will keep an open mind to what Dion is suggesting and join in a healthy debate on the economic and environmental merits and costs of a carbon tax versus the Harper government's alternative of doing as little as we possibly can."